I was watching a video from the Aikido Journal and they had two people from one of their Expo's was doing sword against staff techniques. Very interesting in that the axial parries the swordsman is using makes for quick parries while exposing the side of the sword to attack if the bo-man was to change tactics.

I have owned four practice katana and had the privilege of holding and examining the 600 year old shinken of my sensei. The handle of every one of them was held on by a tempered bamboo peg called a mekugi. A metal peg would be what I would expect on a kitchen knife. There might be reputable blades like that, but I have never heard of them. I could be wrong.

ah mekugi, i couldn't get the word menuki out of my head lol.there are some modern bladed that use metal pegs of some-times nuts and bolts. i've always wondered wether the difference between metal and bamboo was just a traditionalist standing or actual fact. i'd try and find out personally but my mum doesn't want me to have/own any bladed weapons, specially 3 foot ones lol - i'm easing her round to the idea.

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Go seek the advise of a qualified instructor.

european style sword, the organic part of the grip is just there to provide a positive gripping service and deaded vibrations, it has little to no structural function like the organic hilt componenets of a katana.

Quote:My guess would be bamboo does not rust. Also the cellulose fibers could grip the elements of the handle without abrading them. As I said, that is a guess.

It acts as an amazing shock absorber. Years ago I helped move fifteen ton machinery. I was so surprised to see them get stuff like this on the move on rollers. Then one small beam thrown under neath it would bring it to an absolute standstill. Wood and metal don't mix.

The qualities of bamboo or amazing. My father who worked on designing Rolls Royce jet engines said in some ways it was far better than carbon fibre as it had the strength of carbon fibre but far more flexibility.